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I’m sure doing the 2012 NBA Finals, Mario Chalmers has pondered the question, “when will I get an opportunity to shine?” God requires every person that has a gift to continue to cultivate and perfect your gift and God will open up an opportunity for the world to see you shine.

It’s a simplistic statement that requires deep thought. . . Let’s pause for a moment to ponder that thought!

“Last night in living color, I guess you can say that Mario Chalmers gift was shining for all the world to see, being one of the key Miami Heat players to score 25 points, including the Heat‘s final five points in the game to solidify the game and push the Heat to victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Don’t get me wrong! There were other key players that contributed to the teams’ overall victory, but we need to acknowledge the player or players that are consistently hustling but sometimes get over looked by the media because they’re not in the top 3.

Mario Chalmers, step forward and take a bow, savor in the moment for a minute, then get back in it… the game that is … because we still have one more game . . . to win it… All that is … And bring the Championship back to Miami… So, that we can do what we do best. . . Party!

I went to Walgreens, located at 690 NW 183rd Street, Miami, Fl 33169, phone number (305) 249-6792, to purchase a card that would allow me to access the funds immediately.

I spent almost 10 minutes questioning the young male cashier in the store about the card and he assured me over and over that I could access my funds immediately. I gave him $400.00 cash to place on the card and he gave me the card and the receipt.

Before I gave him the money, I told him that I needed it to pay my car insurance and once again he assured me that I would have no problems.

I couldn’t wait to get home to register it on the internet and pay my car insurance. The first thing that I noticed is that the card stated that you had to wait an hour before registering it. I thought that was a little odd but didn’t think too much about it since I purchased it from Walgreens. So, I waited for 2½ hours before attempting to register the card.

I tried three times to register the card and each time it stated that I had the wrong information. Finally the site stated that the card was invalid and it would mail me a check in 7 to 10 days. I called their customer service number 1 (866) 785-6963 frantic and the agent could only tell me that maybe she could get her boss to Fed Ex a refund.

After speaking to the agent, I searched “Green Dot Card Services” and found hundreds of complaints under the “Fraud Report.” After looking and reading some of the complaints, it was clear to me that I could not have been the only one that purchased a “Green Dot” card from Walgreens, only to find that it was invalid.

I called Walgreens and they told me to come back to the store. I immediately returned to the store with the “fraudulent card and receipt.” I explained that I had borrowed the money and needed the card to pay my car insurance. He offered a printout showing that I had indeed purchased the card from the store and advised me to try to call “Green Dot Corporation again tomorrow. The supervisor didn’t accept any responsibility for selling the card in his store.

I’m asking everyone to call Walgreens and ask them to stop selling the “Green Dot Cards.”

I’m unemployed and I had to borrow the $400.00 that Walgreens and Green Dot Corporation stole from me. Please help me to make Walgreens responsible for the products they sell in their store.

Thank you in advance for your support. Please click the button below to donate.

The Santiesteban family gives new meaning to the phrase “it’s a family affair.” Unfortunately their lucrative marijuana growing operation, including kidnapping and murder is against the law.

Watched for years by the Feds, starting in 2004, the Santiesteban clan and their co-horts were busy with at least 17 grow houses (excluding one in St. Cloud, Fl & Monticello, N.Y.) scattered across Miami-Dade setting up surveillance cameras, planting seeds under hydroponic lights, hiring caretakers to guard their crops, harvesting the potent plants and hauling them to New York to sell.

Fidel Ruz Moreno made the unfortunate mistake of stealing 30 plants from the group. He was identified as being the robber and some members of the group kidnapped, shot and subsequently beat him to the last breath was out of his body, then dumped his lifeless body along the roadway and took his van to the Everglades where they torched it.

Law enforcement agents were able to finally shut down the massive operation down on Tuesday, which consisted of 16 individuals, charging them with conspiracy to distribute drugs, kidnapping and murder, ending one of the largest marijuana enterprises in Miami-Dade history.

They operated under the radar for a long time,” William Athas, assistant U.S. attorney told U.S. Magistrate Edwin Torres with nearly two dozen relatives and friends of the defendants sitting in the back of the courtroom. When two of the grow houses were raided by Miami-Dade police – with a dozen people nabbed – the operators simply shut down one and set up another, records state.

George Zimmerman will get another chance to come clean, on Friday, 06/29/2012, his new bond hearing date, before Judge Kenneth Lester, Jr., and explain why he and his wife, Shellie Zimmerman felt they had to lie about how much money was in his “PayPal Defense Account” and throw himself at the “mercy of the court” and hope that Judge Lester, Jr., is convinced enough to give him another chance and grant him another bond.

While Mark O’Mara, Zimmerman’s defense counsel consistently state that George Zimmerman does not have direct access to his more than $225K defense fund, Zimmerman does have access to the fund through a third party. Zimmerman, while out on bond was living a lifestyle that far exceeded his lifestyle subsequent to the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin.

In light of this new evidence, since O’Mara is keeping the public updated through Zimmerman’s website the new bond should be much higher and Zimmerman should not profit from the death of Trayvon Martin. It is very clear at this point that George Zimmerman’s so-called “Defense Fund” is really an “Expense Account Fund”, period. Call it what it is, so that the contributors are clear where their dollars will be spent.

Anyway, all ears will be on Zimmerman when he looks Judge Lester, Jr., in his eyes and tell him why he and his wife, Shellie Zimmerman lied to the court and all Mark O’Mara can do is stand and watch and see if what they practiced will pay off.
As always! To be continued . . . .

It appears that New York Knicks guard J.R. Smith will take the top distinction of being the first person to be arrested on Miami Beach during the busy Memorial Day weekend.

Apparently, he didn’t get my tweet in respect to having everything in order, before he attempts to cruise South Beach this weekend.

“What did I say?”

“STAY HOME… DON”T ROAM… OTHERWISE YOU WILL BE CALLING FOR BAIL … FROM INSIDE THE JAIL!”

Allegedly, when Miami Beach Sgt. Bobby Hernandez ran a routine check on Smith they found an outstanding bench warrant in addition too the charge of not having a valid driver’s license and placed him under arrest.

It is not known what traffic infraction Smith committed that led to the original stop, which took place around 8:30 p.m. Smith was taken to Miami-Dade County Jail, where officials say he bonded out early Friday.

J. R. Smith aka Earl Joseph Smith was drafted by the New Orleans Hornets in 2004, and is currently with the New York Knicks.

It’s not easy for Jackson Health System to come to terms with the realization that what has worked for more than 30 years is no longer applicable by today’s standards. The late great Michael Jackson asks each of us to “take a look at the man-in-the mirror and do we like what we see!” And, if the answer is “no” then what are we going to do about it?”

For Jackson Health System to look at itself in the mirror and then commit to change is the first step in healing itself. Nobody said it would be easy or that it would feel good but in everybody’s heart of hearts, they knew that it would be a painful but necessary process, if indeed Jackson wanted to stop the bleeding and fight for its very existence.

While Jackson Health System is in better fiscal health than it was six months ago, it is still receiving oxygen and cannot quite breathe on its own but it’s getting better and better as each day pass, but do not be deceived, Jackson has an insurmountable mountain, yet to climb.

According to Jackson’s own fiscal report, the system is projected to be below 10 days of cash on hand for June, July and August. With that starling fact staring them in the face, Jackson does not have the luxury of waiting for a planned day-long retreat on June 22 to discuss strategy. (Exactly what will the finance department do in the meantime while Jackson continues to bleed with overruns?)

Unfortunately, emergency or critical care does not take a holiday. The operations of Jackson is not going to be placed on hold while Chief Financial Officer Mark Knight, Carlos Migoya and others decide what if anything can be done to slow down expenditures and speed up the flow of revenue.

In an effort to continue to be one of the premier health facilities in Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe County, Jackson should sponsor low or no cost health fairs throughout the community to highlight the latest medical breakthrough’s and the advantages of receiving healthcare from Jackson Health System.

Also, Jackson should absolutely take advantage of the far reaching power of the internet via Facebook, twitter and last but not least and perhaps the most powerful, “you-tube.” Jackson Health System should have a continuous up-dated video of the nuances of their operation and its value to the immediate as well as surrounding communities.

Jackson Health System should always beware of any grants, public or private that would benefit both the hospital as well as the community. Jackson should always be in a fund raising mode and take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself as a vehicle in that direction.

Jackson should also seek out volunteers that can fill the void in Human Resources and other departments that require skills in administration, computers, etc.; Jackson would be surprised how many people would volunteer their time while seeking employment or retired senior executives who would be willing to offer several meaningful hours a week.

Jackson Health System should have a roadmap with graphs and charts to do a comparison analysis of where it was a year ago; where it is today and where it hopes to be a year, five years and ten years from now; with a best practice model and mentors to ultimately help them to achieve their goals.

Moving forward however, Jackson Health System must adhere to strict rules and regulations as well as checks and balances, so that the situation that they find themselves in today will never happen again.

Jackson Health System can correct itself and come out as an institution worthy of the title, “The Crown Jewel of the Community!” but it needs to keep its “eyes on the prize!”

Good luck to you, Jackson! And “God Bless Every Hand that Plays a Part in Keeping Jackson Health System Moving into the Future and Beyond!”

At first glance, you probably thought you read the title wrong, but unfortunately, the title is correct.

16-year-old Kit Darrant has confessed to at first choking his mother, Renette Emile, 35 and realizing that she wasn’t dead, went into the kitchen to retrieve a knife, then returning to her bedroom and subsequently stabbing her 14 times until she succumbed to her injuries.

This heinous crime was precipitated by an argument between Darrant and Emile over him staying out late on a school night. Just four days after the murder, Darrant invited a bunch of friends over to his apartment, where they apparently played music and partied until late at night; while his mother’s dead body was in the next room, authorities said.

In addition to his mother, Kit Darrant also shared the Northwest Miami-Dade apartment with his 3-year-old brother. His mother, Renette Emile, was found Wednesday night, nine days after police said Darrant attacked her in her bed, stabbing her 14 times.

“She was a good, hardworking mother,” said Emile’s sister, Rena Emile. The sisters were born in Haiti and came to this country when they were young. They have four brothers, three who still live in Haiti and the fourth lives in Miami.

Rena said the family grew up in Miami Shores, and Renette Emile graduated from Miami Edison Senior High School. At the time of her death, Renette Emile was going to nursing school and up until recently, was supporting her family by working as a security guard in her apartment complex, Jade Winds, located at 1720 NE 191st Street, in Miami-Dade.

Darrant, a student at Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High, has not been in trouble with the law, other than a criminal trespass charge two years ago. School officials say, however, a crisis counseling team was assembled and would be available to go into each class that Darrant attended to “offer support.”

“He was very well known at school, very popular and active in school, clubs and played sports. It caught everyone by surprise.”

Said Eric Edelstein, the high school newspaper’s editor-in-chief.

This is the second high profile case involving a Krop student. Trayvon Martin, whose death made national headlines, was the first.

Rena Emile, Renette’s sister along with another family member, Jeanine Jolicoeur was making funeral plans on Friday and arrangements are incomplete at this time.

Rena said said she hasn’t been able to sleep or eat since she discovered that her sister had been killed and that she is still shaken by the gruesome turn of events.

“Only God knows the reason that Kit did something like this,” she said.

Renette Emile, dead at the age of 35, killed by her eldest son, Kit Darrant, 16, over an argument about him staying out late on a school night.

Goh allegedly used a 45-caliber gun with four fully loaded magazines of ammunition and most of the rounds were fired, said Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan.

Goh, 43, who is Korean-American, was upset over not getting some of his money back for tuition he had paid, and it is also clear that he focused on one particular administrator at the school who was not present at the school on Monday, the day of the shooting.

Live Your Best Life!!!

There are so many lessons to learn during the journey of a lifetime. There are lessons in loving, in developing patience, in cultivating and keeping relationships, lessons in tolerance and practicing humility, courage and faith. Lessons in just doing and being “Y.O.U.”

God’s love doesn’t insist on perfection in you. Why should you insist on perfection in others?

No matter what we may think or feel, regardless of appearances, life is always on our side, always offering us the experiences we need to make changes and grow.

Life is a journey, not a destination! The purpose of our journey is to learn to live in harmony and love our neighbor as our self and to trust that whatever we give to life comes back multiplied. The more you give, the more you receive; as you heal others, you are healed.